Source: Phil Mowatt
Day two at Mont Sainte Anne was long and busy. Our fuel tanks were filled with a mountainous breakfast and we had finished the early work session to get out for the Elite Men's downhill practice. The overnight rain was just enough to improve the course, general comments were that the top section was a little greasy but the lower sections became more fun with the added moisture. We watched the world's finest navigate the holes and corners with some creative lines, followed by some sick whips on the bottom jumps.
With no time to spare we walked just a few feet and were on course for the U23 Men's XC race. The conditions were great for the riders and spectators, a little muggy but that is to be expected. We split up at this point as the 26" trials Semi finals were going on in the trees behind us. You can barley take it all in with the best riders in the world competing for the top spot in so many different disciplines and categories and all of this with a close walk of each other.
Following a quick lap of the expo it was on to celebrate 20 years of racing in Mont Sainte Anne with the Legends of the Sport Short Track Race. Riders like Ned Overend, Greg Herbold, Myles Rockwell and North Van local Andreas Hestler were shoulder to shoulder doing laps, the variety of bikes raced was staggering from modern cross-country race machines to old school classics.
After a quick pint we headed up to watch the Pro Men's and Women's 4X finals. Thousands of spectators lined the track to catch glimpses of the world's best battle head-to-head down the 4X track. Strewn with rocks, big jumps and tight lines riders pinned it down in the dark with Caroline Buchanan and Tomas Slavik winning the rainbow jerseys. After a day that started at six a.m. and finished at 2 a.m. it was time for some much deserved sleep.
